Lecture 2 - What is Epidemiology

Question 1

What is Epidemiology?

Answer 1

The study of the distribution (who? where?
when?) and determinants (why?) of health-related states or events in specified populations, and the application of this study to control of health problems

Question 2

Descriptive vs. Analytical Studies

Answer 2

Distribution vs. Determinants

Question 3

Different types of Analytical Studies?

Answer 3

Observational:
1) Case-control - compare people with existing disease vs. those who do not (controls), investigate the causal inference (weak evidence)
2) Cohort - people are observed prospectively, to find risk factors associated with those that obtain disease (better evidence)
Intervention:
1) Randomised Controlled Trial - randomly allocated to either the group receiving the treatment under investigation or to a group receiving standard treatment (or placebo treatment) as the control